Matt Anfang

President of the Greater St. Paul Building Owners and Managers Association

After serving as president of the Greater St. Paul Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) since 2008, St. Paul native Matt Anfang, 40, is stepping down to pursue other opportunities. He will serve through the end of the year while BOMA searches for a new leader. He became president after Bill Buth retired after three decades. St. Paul BOMA serves more than 300 members of the commercial real estate and related service industries. Before leading BOMA, Anfang worked for the Minnesota Department of Education, St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and Centex Development Co., where he managed the redevelopment of St. Paul's Upper Landing.

QWhat opportunities did you see at BOMA?

AI knew BOMA was going through a period of transition from a president who had been around for many years. ... I knew that with my connections and ties to St. Paul and my experience, I could come in and try to ... maintain and grow the relevancy of Greater St. Paul BOMA to the rest of the marketplace -- whether it was in public affairs and public policy or economic development and working with the current environment that commercial real estate was facing.

QWhy step down?

AThe organization is solid with lots of great members and volunteers. I just determined I was ready for another challenge in my life.

QWhat's your next career step?

AI would be interested in continuing in an organizational management position, as well as continuing on where some of my strengths exist in public affairs and public policy.

QWhat are your biggest accomplishments at BOMA?

AI'm real proud of BOMA and our other stakeholder partners in helping to strengthen St. Paul and the east metro area. Those relationships are very strong. ... Whether it's with the St. Paul Port Authority, city of St. Paul or Greater MSP, BOMA has had a seat at the table as St. Paul and the east metro area look at future development and opportunities.

QOther accomplishments?

AIn downtown St. Paul, we have a right-of-way maintenance fund where property owners pay for services provided -- from snowplowing to street-sweeping, etc. ... We wanted to identify the costs being assessed to building owners and make sure services are being delivered in a cost-effective, thorough manner. That opened up a larger issue where we needed to see more transparency in how that program was managed. We opened the eyes of the city and some of our members to ensure that transparency is carried year over year to make the fund more effective."

Liz Wolf is an Eagan-based freelance writer. She can be reached at wolfliz99@aol.com.

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